Winter Tour Part 1: And So It Begins...

Black Oystercatchers hang out in tidepools and destroy molluscs all day...sounds nice. Crescent City, CA.

Winter Tour is OVER. I am now the master of Washington and Oregon birding. I rolled deep with three (3) lifers, swarms of rarities, and a lot of other birds I don't get to see a whole lot down here. Since I took hundreds of horrible bird photos over the past few weeks, I will have to spoon feed you them in small amounts...the BB&B staff is not interested in overdoses.

I am back in San Francisco now, where I will remain for an indeterminate amount of time. The West Coast is finally getting slammed by winter weather, so I foresee a lot of not birding the next few days...which is good for blogging, I suppose. On a weirder front, something called a "job" might be looming on the horizon...we'll see where that goes. Could this be the end of funemployment?

I have always been drawn to the feet of Black Oystercatchers, for reasons I can't entirely explain. Crescent City, CA.

Greater Yellowlegs. I'm glad the days of not being able to tell Greaters and Lessers apart are behind me....how embarrassing. Arcata, CA.

You know life is good when you don't even have to bother to wipe puke off your face. California Sea Lions must have it rough. Crescent City, CA.

American Kestrel. Someday, I will get a picture of one that is not on a power line. Arcata, CA.

Spotted Towhee. While this bird looks pretty much our California birds, some individuals I saw in Washington were very dark in comparison, lacking much of the white spotting on the back. Finley National Wildlife Refuge, OR.

Hairy Woodpecker. This dude was going to town at the base of a big, moss-covered oak...too bad the lighting was rubbish. Finley National Wildlife Refuge, OR.

Cackling Geese are everywhere up there. Finley National Wildlife Refuge, OR.

This is the proper way to enjoy delicious jug wine.